With 19 games played and 19 to go, some teams have disappointed, some have
flattered to deceive while others have enjoyed an impressive opening.

Manager’s moves This has been a pivotal season in the career of Arsène Wenger and, with his contract in its final season, he has so far risen to the challenge.

Star player: Aaron Ramsey One of the most uplifting stories of the season. It had appeared at stages of last season that he would never fully recover from the double leg fracture and even the decision to award him a new contract was widely questioned. Ramsey, though, has been the midfield driving force behind Arsenal’s title challenge.

Flop: Yaya Sanogo Cannot be definitively written off but Wenger did make repeated mention of Sanogo during the summer whenever he explained his belief that Arsenal had enough strikers. Sanogo has a history of injury troubles and has barely played this season due to a back problem.

What now? Maintaining the momentum and ending a trophy drought that extends back to 2005.

Jeremy Wilson's verdict: 8/10 It has not been a faultless season – a chance was missed to top their Champions League group and Mesut Özil is yet to fully flourish – but Arsenal have stepped up a level so far this campaign. They are more resilient collectively while the likes of Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs and Per Mertesacker have significantly improved.

Manager’s moves Paul Lambert spent about £18 million in the summer on another crop of young and hungry players but hardly any of them have impressed. His tactics, particularly at home, have come under scrutiny though their counter-attacking style on the road has worked, notably at Arsenal. Many managers have highlighted Villa’s reliance on the long ball.

Star player: Brad Guzan Guzan has been a model of consistency for Villa since Lambert’s arrival and has been in excellent form this season. That he has been so vital has only underlined how Villa have struggled, however.

Flop: Antonio Luna Luna may possess a catchy name but he has appeared in another stratosphere to his team-mates at times. Aleksandar Tonev also appears suspect while £7 million signing Libor Kozak has failed to win over supporters.

What now? Lambert has been assured of funds in the new year and surely needs to bring in experience to assist the younger heads. Finances will dictate who he signs, though. Another relegation battle seems ominous.

John Percy's verdict: 4/10 These are worrying times for Lambert and his work in progress appears stuck in reverse at the moment.

Manager’s moves Malky Mackay broke the club’s transfer record on three occasions in the summer to sign Andreas Cornelius, Gary Medel and Steven Caulker. Didn’t do the Scot much good as he lost his job last week.

Star player: Gary Medel Medel has been a real find. Sits at the back of the midfield five and breaks up play well.

Flop: Andreas Cornelius Cornelius has not played much due to injury, but he does not look like an £8 million player. However, the biggest disappointment would have to be Peter Odemwingie who has shown precious little since arriving from West Brom for £2 million.

What now? First, the club need a new man at the helm and then he will need to spend heavily to bolster a squad who look a little short on quality.

Graham Clutton's verdict: 5/10 It has been a roller-coaster ride for the club so far this season with owner Vincent Tan ruling with a rod of iron. One or two decent wins along the way, but the club face a difficult battle to avoid relegation.

Manager’s moves Jose Mourinho’s return has been characterised by a new rotation policy. He has largely relegated Juan Mata and Ashley Cole to the substitutes’ bench. Some of the old spark may have been lacking, but Mourinho has not lost his appetite for a challenge.

Star player: Oscar The Brazilian has been preferred to Mata in the No 10 role and his performances have gone some way to justifying Mourinho’s controversial decision to drop the Spaniard.

Flop: Samuel Eto’o The striker was meant to provide Mourinho with a guaranteed goal threat, but is yet to deliver. He is already looking for a summer move to the MLS.

What now? Mourinho will need a lot more goals from his strikers or a new striker to keep pace at the top of the Premier League table.

Matt Law's verdict: 7/10 Chelsea are yet to show any convincing, consistent form this season but have ground out enough victories to remain in the title race.

Manager’s moves Having got Palace promoted through the play-offs Ian Holloway was strangely subdued and seemed a shadow of the manager who almost kept Blackpool in the top flight. Tony Pulis has galvanised the squad and, despite his doubts about taking the job, he now has a very realistic chance of avoiding what would be a first relegation in his impressive managerial career.

Star player: Joel Ward A model of consistency under three different managers this season. Has been sound at right-back and holding midfield, and also provided an occasional attacking outlet, as he showed on Saturday against Manchester City.

Flop: Florian Marange Marange was signed last summer, but didn’t even make the 25-man squad before being released

What now? They must maintain the momentum of the past month but it is also likely to be vital that Pulis is backed in the transfer market. He proved his capacity to revive careers and extract value from the window at Stoke City and, should he repeat that trick at Palace, they now look likely to survive. Peter Crouch, Joe Ledley, Scott Dan and Nikica Jelavic are among the targets.

Jeremy Wilson's verdict: 5/10 A season of two halves so far. Palace looked certain to be relegated under Holloway but the change of manager has provided tangible hope.

Manager’s moves Roberto Martínez could not have imagined such an impressive start to his Everton career. His signings have paid off, his transformative style of play has changed perceptions of his new club and he looks every inch the modern coach.

Star player: Ross Barkley Romelu Lukaku, James McCarthy and Gareth Barry have been outstanding, but you cannot look beyond Barkley. The most exciting English talent in years, he could become a great for club and country. It has been thrilling to see his development.

Flop: Antolín Alcaraz Alcaraz arrived injured and has done little but keep the medical staff busy. It may be bad luck, but he has plenty of making up for lost time to do in 2014.

What now? More of the same. Everton have been a fixture in the top six, but will go into the second half of the season with grander ambitions.

Chris Bascombe's verdict: 8/10 A splendid start, building on the foundations left by David Moyes while taking Everton in a new, scenic direction.

Manager’s moves Martin Jol put his faith in Fulham’s Dad’s Army and that decision ultimately cost him his job. Rene Meulensteen has taken over as head coach and the Dutchman has already stamped a better brand of football on the team.

Star player: Dimitar Berbatov The Bulgarian has been far from his best for the majority of this season and his agent has claimed the striker would like a move in January. But if Meulensteen can persuade Berbatov to finish the campaign at Craven Cottage, then he can still be a key figure in the second half of the season.

Flop: Bryan Ruiz The Costa Rica captain has fallen out of favour at Fulham after a string of poor performances. Having signed Ruiz for £10.5 million, Fulham are prepared to take a sizeable hit on the 28-year-old to save on his £40,000-a-week wages.

What now? Clint Dempsey has returned for a two-month loan spell from the MLS and should give the club a big boost. Dempsey will need to hit the goal trail quickly to help Fulham fire themselves clear of the bottom three.

Matt Law's verdict: 5/10 Fulham appeared to be doomed to relegation with Jol in charge, but there is already new hope under Meulensteen. The second half of the season will be a struggle, but Fulham will believe they can get out of trouble.

Manager’s moves Steve Bruce has a proven track record of keeping teams in the Premier League and he deserves huge credit for Hull’s start to the season. They are already halfway to safety and have impressed at times, both home and away.

Star player: Tom Huddlestone Hull beat Sunderland to his signature and the former Tottenham midfielder has added a touch of class to a Hull side hastily cobbled together over the summer to improve a squad that shocked everyone coming up from the Championship.

Flop: Danny Graham Only on loan from Sunderland but as Hull’s first choice centre forward one goal in 17 games is a poor return. Graham has repeatedly failed to match his form at Swansea City for almost a year.

What now? No matter the opposition, Hull have to scrap for points in every game and reach the 40 point mark as soon as possible to avert end of season pressure.

Luke Edwards' verdict: 7/10 Barring a spectacular slump in 2014, Hull City will achieve their ambition of staying in the Premier League.

Manager’s moves Liverpool have played some scintillating football, putting themselves in contention to win the title, but a top four finish remains the first priority. Brendan Rodgers has proved a fabulous appointment by owners Fenway Sports Group so far.

Star player: Luis Suárez The gift of necessity for every Merseyside reporter this Christmas was a thesaurus. How else can we describe his sheer magnificence? Has inspired Liverpool to a return to the style of football not seen regularly at Anfield for 20 years.

Flop: Iago Aspas Started the season and looked worrying out of his depth. Not been seen since injury and could return to Spain – or possibly Swansea who wanted him in the summer – as soon as there is a bid.

What now? Suárez to break more club records with 40 Premier League goals in a season and an edgy scrap for a Champions League place.

Chris Bascombe's verdict: 8/10 Liverpool have performed admirably, but such is the fluidity of the league table the hard work is still to come. No side is playing so attractive, but there are still defensive vulnerabilities which have been especially costly away from Anfield.

Manager’s moves Manuel Pellegrini has brought calm and stability behind the scenes and inside the dressing-room after the volatile regime of Roberto Mancini and on the pitch, has given City style to go with the steel introduced by his predecessor. The Chilean gives little away off the pitch, but the City hierarchy prefer his approach to Mancini’s.

Star player: Álvaro Negredo In his first season at the club, the Spanish forward has been prolific in front of goal and a terrific foil for strike partner Sergio Aguero. Yaya Toure has also stood out, but Negredo has been a major influence and, at £16.4 million, arguably the Premier League signing of the season.

Flop: Joe Hart Perhaps a harsh selection, but in a team of top performers, the goalkeeper’s midseason loss of form caused him to be dropped for almost two months. Now back in the team and able to redeem himself.

What now? If City can get past Barcelona in the Champions League second round, the quadruple really could be on.

Mark Ogden's verdict: 8/10 On course for the title and still in with a chance of four trophies, so few complaints

Manager’s moves David Moyes has wrestled with the challenge of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson and it has not been an easy six months. A poor summer transfer window, a bad start to the season and big players failing to perform has led to a tale of woe, but Champions League performances have been impressive and a recent upturn in form suggests Moyes may be getting on top of the job.

Star player: David de Gea The Spaniard has been an ever-present this season and has arguably earned as many points as Wayne Rooney with his performances in goal. Crucial saves at Sunderland and Hull ensured United won games they would have otherwise drawn or lost.

Flop: Marouane Fellaini Fellaini has so far been a disastrous signing, having arrived for £27.5 million on transfer deadline day. The Belgian has appeared too slow and ponderous in a United shirt and has become a target for fans’ frustrations, but in his defence, injuries have hampered his progress.

What now? The evolution of the team has led to younger players replacing their ageing team-mates. United appear stronger and fresher, so they could yet go on a surge in the new year.

Mark Ogden's verdict: 5/10 It was always going to be difficult after Ferguson, but the reality has been worse than anyone would have imagined, with United battling for a top-four spot.

Manager’s moves Alan Pardew began the season fearing a poor run of form would cost him his job but he has responded to the pressure superbly. Newcastle are a match for any team in the country on present form.

Star Player: Loïc Rémy Newcastle thought they had him back in January before he absconded to QPR, but his belated arrival on Tyneside has been key this season. Ten goals in 15 starts tells you everything about his impact.

Flop: Sammy Ameobi Big things were expected from the youngster for a second season running, but he has not developed into the player Newcastle thought he was going to be and the winger cannot even get on the bench.

What now? Newcastle are never more dangerous than when they have momentum and European qualification is a realistic target. They could even shock everyone and finish in the top four.

Luke Edwards' verdict: 8/10 Began the season looking like a club in crisis, but just as they did two years ago, Newcastle have defied perceptions and are playing some excellent attacking football with a settled side.

Manager’s moves Chris Hughton falls firmly in the ‘likeable but lightweight’ bracket. The plethora of recent acquisitions up front – Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Johan Elmander, to name but two – have done little to sharpen Norwich and placed question marks over the manager’s ability to inspire.

Star player: Gary Hooper The Essex-born striker has established himself as the Carrow Road poster-boy since his £5 million transfer from Celtic last July, with seven goals in his past nine matches. He has drawn praise from Hughton as a “fantastic striker of the ball”.

Flop: Ricky van Wolfswinkel Much was promised by the summer arrival of the £8.5 million Dutch star from Sporting Lisbon but the 24-year-old has been a serious disappointment, scoring only once in seven appearances.

What now? Hughton needs to look at fortifying his defence in January. Sébastien Bassong and Ryan Bennett are stalwarts but they are in urgent need of understudies.

Oliver Brown's verdict: 4/10 Norwich’s form is so mercurial that the threat of relegation looms large this season. Their slump earlier this year highlighted their tendency to fall away in the second half of the campaign.

Manager’s moves Mauricio Pochettino has continued to enhance his reputation and’ his partnership with the club’s chairman, Nicola Cortese, is turning Southampton into genuine contenders for European football. Likes his team to attack and press high up the pitch but also very willing to give young players their chance.

Star player: Dejan Lovren His centre-back partnership with Jose Fonté has been one of the key reasons for Southampton’s start to the season and a defensive record that is among the very best in the Premier League.

Flop: Gáston Ramírez Once the club’s record signing but still yet to fully settle in England and has been used sparingly this season by Pochettino, making only nine Premier League appearances.

What now? Cortese is likely to face attempts to prise players – and maybe even his manager – away from St Mary’s – but he must continue to convince his staff and squad of his own obvious ambition. It would also be fantastic if the conveyor-belt of young home-grown players continue to get their chance in the first-team.

Jeremy Wilson's verdict: 9/10 One of the success stories of the season, not just for their results but also how they have genuinely made the development of young players such a central part of their strategy. Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert were all in the last England squad, while Luke Shaw is also knocking loudly at the door.

Manager’s moves It was always going to prove a slow-burner after seven years of Tony Pulis in charge but Mark Hughes has made tangible progress in the past few weeks. He has not done much tinkering to the formation, yet there has been a noticeable shift towards a passing game. Hughes was stung by the criticism of his reign at QPR and will view this season as a way of sticking up two fingers at his detractors.

Star player: Asmir Begovic The Bosnia international has underlined his reputation as one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe and has even added goalscoring to his list of abilities this season. Honourable mentions to the consistent Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth while Stephen Ireland has impressed since ending his hell at Villa.

Flop: Marko Arnautovic The bad boy of Austrian football arrived with a tarnished reputation and he has done little to impress, apart from the game against Manchester United. He has shown flashes of his undoubted ability but not enough, yet, to justify the £2 million fee.

What now? Hughes is scouring Europe for a proven forward, with Hannover’s Mame Biram Diouf his No 1 target. If he can find another goalscorer Stoke’s hopes of a first top ten finish in the Premier League could finally be achieved.

John Percy's verdict: 6/10 Hughes was recruited with the mandate of providing more entertainment and Stoke have certainly scored more goals, though they have also shown a propensity to concede them too. But after such a nightmare experience at QPR, Hughes is slowly rebuilding his reputation.

Manager’s moves Gus Poyet inherited a mess from Paolo di Canio in October, with a first team squad littered with new signings not good enough for the Premier League. The Uruguayan has done well in tough circumstances.

Star player: Wes Brown Finally fit, the former Manchester United defender has been superb in the middle of an under-siege defence. Even a stupid sending off against Norwich cannot ruin his magnificent contribution.

Flop: Adilson Cabral There are so many to choose from but Cabral was supposed to be the midfielder who would pull the creative strings. The former Basle man has not played since the first game of the season and appears to be out of his depth.

What now? The shock win at Everton was the boost they needed and survival no longer looks like mission impossible if they can make a couple of quality additions in the transfer window.

Luke Edwards' verdict: 4/10 Sunderland somehow managed to sign 14 players in the summer and still have a worse side than they did last season when they finished fourth from bottom.

Manager’s moves Spent a great deal of cash in the summer and is still looking to add new blood in the January window. The fans can expect at least two new faces to come in before the end of the month.

Star player: Wes Brown It has not been a smooth start to the season and there have been one or two disappointing returns from individual players. However, the stand out performer would have to be Wales full back Ben Davies. Outstanding throughout.

Flop: Wilfried Bony Bony cost Michael Laudrup £12 million and in the manager’s words has not quite found his feet. Goals have come in the Europa League, but he looks like a square peg in a round hole at times, in the Premier League.

What now? Two or possibly three additions this month should help the club as they seek to compete on three fronts in the second half of the season. Iago Aspas and Thomas Ince have been mentioned.

Graham Clutton's verdict: 5/10 Swansea had been hoping to build on their last two seasons, but have been unable to do so on the back of some poor form and one or two injuries to key players.

Manager’s moves Andre Villas-Boas was moved out after thrashings at the hands of Manchester City and Liverpool. Tim Sherwood won a battle of wills with chairman Daniel Levy to earn an 18-month contract as the new head coach. Sherwood will be his own man and will not be afraid of confrontation.

Star player: Paulinho Along with Vlad Chiriches, the Brazilian has been the most successful of Tottenham’s summer signings. Still yet to hit his best form, Paulinho has shown enough promise to suggest he will become a key player.

Flop: Erik Lamela Tottenham’s £30 million record signing is yet to make an impact or show any sign of why the club spent so heavily on him.

What now? Tottenham’s fans can look forward to more entertaining football under Sherwood. It remains to be seen whether it will be any more successful.

Matt Law's verdict: 6/10 Having started the season with high hopes of finishing in the top four, Spurs are struggling to achieve their aim. Sherwood must hope he can get the best out of the new signings who failed to deliver for Villas-Boas.

Manager’s moves After guiding West Brom to eighth – their highest Premier League finish – last season, Steve Clarke followed up with a stirring win at Manchester United in September. He also came close to beating Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge but a dismal run and the failure of his summer signings to gel resulted in the sack. West Brom are still searching for a new head coach.

Star player: Saido Berahino Few could have predicted the impact of a youngster who last year was on loan at Peterborough. After scoring a hat-trick on his debut in the Capital One Cup, Berahino also proved prolific at England Under-21 level and earned admiring glances from Chelsea and Arsenal. Signed a vastly improved contract in November but Clarke’s contribution cannot be forgotten.

Flop: Stephane Sessègnon West Brom’s record signing has struggled to prove why Clarke battled so hard to get him before the transfer window closed. Summer signings Victor Anichebe and Matej Vydra have also failed to impress on a consistent basis.

What now? Albion’s new head coach will aim to move away from the relegation zone. Chairman Jeremy Peace will operate a “topping up” policy in the January transfer window.

John Percy's verdict: 5/10 How can the team who beat Manchester United lose at home to Norwich and Swansea? Albion arguably possess their best ever squad of the Premier League era but have lost their way. A relegation battle cannot be discounted.

Manager’s moves Sam Allardyce has seen many of his managerial colleagues at the bottom of the table sacked already and he needs to pick up points quickly to avoid a similar fate. Allardyce has badly missed record signing Andy Carroll and will be banking on him returning to fitness in the new year.

Star player: Winston Reid The central defender has been sorely missed since suffering an injury. With West Ham struggling to score goals, Reid is crucial if they are to keep them out.

Flop: Andy Carroll The striker has yet to play a game since joining on a permanent basis for £15 million from Liverpool.

What now? West Ham must find a goalscorer to stand a realistic chance of staying in the Premier League. Relegation is unthinkable for a club with a high wage bill and the Olympic Stadium move in 2016.

Matt Law's verdict: 4/10 West Ham gambled on the signing of Carroll and so far they have paid the price. Allardyce may benefit from dropping captain Kevin Nolan and allowing talented midfielder Ravel Morrison to play in his favoured advanced position. The January transfer window will be key.